Latin immigrants coming to work in Ybor City's cigar factories in the late 1800s faced a strange and frightening world. Alligators and wild hogs wandered in from nearby swamps. Suspicious Anglo-Tampans were just as unfriendly. The newcomers had no source of medical aid, community support or entertainment. But they coped, indeed thrived, by creating mutual aid societies. The Latin clubs provided social centers as well as medical care and other support. Through them, cigarworkers could buy medical coverage for as little as 10 cents a week. The centers included clinics, libraries, gyms, dance halls and auditoriums. Separate hospitals were built. Clubs sponsored speeches, plays and concerts, often booking internationally known performers.

Funding:

Funded in part by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), Ephemeral Cities Project.